As summer is now in full swing, the schools have broken up and couples, families and friends are flocking to our two counties and islands to enjoy the beautiful coast, countryside, towns and villages we are lucky enough to have on our doorstep.
For most, this is a time for joy and relaxation – a well-earned break from the daily routine and a chance to spend time with friends and loved ones.
But for too many, the reality is that an escape to the coast or country is not a reprieve from a life of fear – for people experiencing domestic abuse it can be a dangerous and frightening time. And if a holiday comes with an increase in alcohol consumption, or drug use, then the risks increase significantly.
Last weekend I spent some time with the neighbourhood policing team led by Sgt Dan Lewis in Looe, on a visit to holiday parks around the area. These popular destinations are jam packed over the summer, with adults and children spending quality time enjoying the entertainment on offer.
But the darker side is the police often receive reports of domestic abuse linked to holiday accommodation, and this is something we urgently need to address.
Joining us on our visits were Inspector Kelly Woodfine-Beard, the lead for Moonstone – Devon & Cornwall Police’s dedicated domestic abuse safeguarding and investigation team – and alcohol licensing officer Nicola Henderson.
The team spoke to managers and staff about spotting the signs of domestic abuse, and handed out information about how to report it, and how to keep people safe – including the Ask for Angela scheme used by many hospitality venues nationally.
Staff were also shown how to spot the signs of drug use in the clubhouses, including the use of cocaine wipes in the toilets, and were given a demonstration by passive drugs dog PD Jasper and his handler PC John Warren, assisted by neighbourhood beat manager PC Ben Woodhead. PD Jasper also made some young friends on the clubhouse dancefloor.
The day was a great example of our police officers having a visible presence and engaging with the public while also sharing a serious message. It’s this kind of contact with businesses, residents and visitors which is key to increasing confidence in policing, and I’m always delighted to be invited along to see them in action.
Domestic abuse, and violence against women in girls (VAWG) in general, are issues I’ve long been focused on, and I have grown increasingly frustrated that it has remained so difficult to address. This is why, in a bid to drive meaningful and lasting change, I recently held my first VAWG Disruptive Ideas workshop to come up with radical ways to end this scourge on society.
More than 50 experts in combatting VAWG gathered to join forces, using their professional experience to identify and develop new and innovative ideas, while networking and creating meaningful connections as they did so.
The day was a success – the collective desire for change created an electric atmosphere for debate. Difficult conversations were had, strong and sometimes challenging views were aired, and the result was a core number of ideas for my office to drive forward.
I would like to give a huge thanks to everyone who gave up their valuable time to get involved in this important work, and I look forward to being able to share updates on both the development of ideas and future workshops with you in the coming months.
VAWG affects a staggering number of people from every walk of life. They are our mothers, sisters, daughters, friends and colleagues. They are our emergency services workers, teachers, carers, high-income executives, low-wage employees, homemakers and everyone in between.
And it’s not just professionals who will have the answers. All of us – especially men and boys – have a part to play in keeping the ones we love safe. If you have a radical idea to disrupt VAWG I want to hear from you. It doesn’t matter how big, bold or controversial it might seem, if it’s within the law or maybe requires a law change, I want to know about it. You can share your ideas on this link until August 30.
Please help me to disrupt VAWG for good, especially by not asking women alone to fix the problem.